Increasingly, schools demand environments that support successful 21st century learning. The internet. Personal computing devices. Interactive displays. Collaboration software. Skype. Even YouTube. Today’s classrooms are where students and teachers learn together and collaborate. Instructors need reimagined spaces that allow learners to conduct experiments, perform real-world problem-solving, collectively process information, and share their learning with peers. Educational spaces must be more flexible and interactive than ever before. And thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Lake Forest High School Foundation has been a strategic partner in bringing reimagined learning spaces to LFHS.

Business Education Lab

Library Collaboration Tables with TVs

New in 2018 Flexible Science Lab Furniture

New this year, the Science department received flexible lab furniture. Not only are these lab tables certified to withstand extreme elements found in today’s high school science classrooms, but they are also mobile, multi-functional tables that allow for smooth transition from whole class learning, to pairs, to small group learning.

Science Instructional Director, Ryan Abrams, recently reported that after a few months of use, the new lab furniture is having an even more significant impact on learning than he would have imagined. These tables and lab stools have allowed our science classrooms to be more student-centered, facilitating more thoughtful discussions and collaboration.

“The tables have provided my class a wonderful opportunity to collaborate between students on a daily basis. They are easy to move and allow me to be more creative with my lesson planning. I have been able to really experiment with different groups and activities to cater best to my students’ needs as learners.”

~LFHS Science Teacher

21st Century Learning Spaces

Over the years, the Foundation has worked with many curricular departments to create student-driven, state-of-the-art learning spaces where students can create, collaborate, and present their work. These spaces provide students with monitors, connectivity, and whiteboards – all in flexible groupings – that allow for differentiated and hands-on learning. As Stephen Dunn, Social Studies Instructional Director noted of the Social Studies 21stCentury Learning Space, “This environment has stimulated their thinking and laid the foundation for more analytical learning.”

No wonder Joe Pulio, Business Incubator Instructor said,“You have literally changed the way kids learn in our department.”

Business Incubator Students & Mentors

Interactive Classrooms

These learning labs aren’t the only spaces positively impacting student learning. The Foundation has also invested in many classroom enhancements to facilitate student engagement and collaboration. This work began nine years ago when the Foundation helped fund SMARTboard technology throughout LFHS. Visit this FB link to see a short video about SMARTboards in action at LFHS. With improvements in technology, we have more recently funded wireless interactive classrooms for English, classroom recording kits for use by all departments, and just this year, new Interactive Display Systems for Social Studies. These displays are cutting-edge in the business and educational world and allow simultaneous interactivity for up to six users, enable easy sharing of projected content with all classroom devices, and support wireless collaboration with up to 50 devices.

Interactive English & Social Studies Classrooms

Positively Impacting Student Performance

Our teachers and students love these new learning environments. But do these reimagined spaces drive student learning?

Research says YES! According to a 2013 study published in the journal Building and the Environment, classroom design can be attributed to a +25% positive impact on a student’s academic progress!

The Foundation’s mission is to support, enrich, and enhance the Lake Forest High School experience for all students, faculty, and staff by investing in educational excellence. These reimagined spaces enhance students’ experience and help drive educational excellence. We are grateful to our donors for partnering with us in this vital work.